Action

“Therefore prepare your minds for action; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed” 1 Peter 1:13 NRSV

This section of text intrigues me primarily because of the “therefore” and what the therefore requires of the reader. Prior to this text Peter tells his readers that they are saved because of “the outcome of [their] faith”. In light of this salvation (therefore) they are to, as the original text puts it “gird up the loins of your mind” or “prepare your minds for action. The placing of these texts next to one another is important, especially because when an author uses “therefore” he is practically yelling “Hey look at these texts together!!!”

This section of text captures something that I think in modern America, many people have forgotten about. The message of the gospel is often designed to show the listeners how they can benefit from hearing the gospel, but Peter has taken the message of the gospel to its proper end. Peter is saying… since you have received salvation of your souls because of your faith; prepare your minds for action.

As Christians, we are called to act in response to our salvation, to gird up the loins of our minds in response to the grace which we have received. In other words, the acceptance of Christ in baptism is simply the first step in a life of action, a life of service to others that a Christian performs in response to the grace which he or she has received.

Are you ready for action?